Conventionally, a guide mechanism has been used as a mechanism for smoothly guiding the relative displacement of two elements that are capable of being displaced linearly relative to each other, or alternatively, for guiding the elements with high precision. The guide mechanism can be applied to various types of machines, and as an example of one such application, a fluid pressure cylinder such as a slide actuator or the like is presented.
For example, the fluid pressure cylinder disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 05-092505 is equipped with a cylinder body, a piston capable of sliding in an axial direction inside the cylinder body, a piston rod fixed to the piston and having one end which projects out from the cylinder body, and an end plate that is fixed to an end portion of the piston rod.
In addition, the fluid pressure cylinder of Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 05-092505 further includes a guide rail that is fixed to the cylinder body, a slide table that is capable of sliding with respect to the guide rail, a guide member that is fixed to the guide table, and a plurality of rolling bodies (roller bearings) which are arranged in a guide groove formed between the guide rail and the guide member. On one end surface of the guide member, a plate-shaped stopper is securely fixed by screws, for preventing disengagement, i.e., falling out, of the rolling bodies from the guide groove.
As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 05-092505, in the case of a structure where the stopper is fixed by screws for preventing disengagement of the rolling bodies, during the process for attachment of the stopper, a tapping process for forming screw holes is required, and a screwing operation in order for the screws to be screw-engaged in the formed screw holes is also required.